ARCHIVE: Mike Manhatton takes flight back in time

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - There's an amazing opportunity if you love to fly or know somone who's served our nation in the air, a World War II bomber is in town.

The "Liberty Belle", just like the planes the Mighty 8th flew, is in the skies again. It took more than 15 years and three million dollars of restoration work to bring this 65 year old flying fortress back to the skies.

Chief pilot Ray Fowler says she stands out. "Of all the airplanes that fly, really, the B-17 is by far one of the most important to our nation's history. So most people can relate to it, they've seen it in the movies. Even people that aren't involved in aviation still know a lot about B-17's. So, I think if you ask any pilot, like myself, if you could pick any airplane to fly, it would certainly be on the top five list," said Fowler.

Most of us will never get to sit in the cockpit, but Thursday WTOC's own Mike Manhatton got a rare chance to take a flight back in time.

You can also fly aboard the Liberty Belle this weekend, but before we tell you how much, it costs $4,500 an hour to keep up when you average in fuel, maintenance, parts and insurance. That adds up to one million dollars a year.

So the flights aren't cheap, at $430 per person. They're flying Sunday from 10am to 5pm. To book a flight or get more information visit their website.